Folding contour chair constructions



March 15, 1955 J, FREEDMAN ETAL FOLDING CONTOUR CHAIR CONSTRUCTIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed on. 20, 1953 5 5 w w m N50 1 E L A Z i Jaw March 15, 1955 FREEDMAN ETAL 2,704,115

FOLDING CONTOUR CHAIR CQNSTRUCTIONS Filed Oct. 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTS. JEoME FkEEDMA IV. B-YJULIUS FEL DHOEN.

ATTORNEYT.

March 15, 1955 Filed Oct- 20, 1953 J. FREEDMAN ET AL FOLDING CONTOUR CHAIR CONSTRUCTIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS.

JEROME FkEEo/wn N. gm. us ['21 DHORN.

United States Patent F FOLDING CONTOUR CHAIR CONSTRUCTIONS Jerome Freedman, Brooklyn, N. Y., and Julius Feldhorn, Glen Ridge, N. J.

Application October 20, 1953, Serial No. 387,206

10 Claims. (Cl. 155-117) This invention relates to folding chair or chaise lounge constructions and the like of the so-called contour type and more particularly constructions of that type in WhlCh the user may assume either a comfortable sitting posture or in which he may tilt back to a reclining posture with his knees and lower legs elevated.

Such so-called contour type constructions of readily portable types suitable as porch furniture and the like, have recently come into quite extensive use, but since the main body supporting portions comprise parts for supporting the whole length of the body from the head to the feet, and are thus necessarily quite long and have to be quite strong to insure against bending or collapsing in use, such constructions are in general excessively cumbersome for convenient packing, storage or shipment and they are difficult to move from place to place or in and out through doorways. Efforts to provide folding contour type reclining chairs which may be collapsed like many forms of beach chairs for example, have heretofore involved excessively complicated and expensive linkage constructions and the like which are either diflicult to operate or are uncertain in use.

The present invention provides relatively inexpensive strong and reliable constructions which overcome the above noted difficulties and which may be easily operated to fold the same into an assembly convenient for shipment, storage or carrying about, and at the same time providing a construction in which the contour or body rest portion may be tilted in use to enable the user to either assume a comfortable sitting posture or a tiltedback low reclining posture with the leg rest portions elevated.

Various further and more specific objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example the presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of the invention and showing the contour support in full lines in the position which it assumes when tilted for supporting the user in a sitting posture, the dotted lines indicating the position of the support when tilted back to support the user in a low reclining position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the chair of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the same chair;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the same chair after the contour support has been folded to collapsed condition but with the leg structure still in normal operative condition;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the manner in which the leg structure may be conveniently folded;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating certain hinge means used in the chair shown in Figs. 1-6;

Fig. 8 is another view partly in section of such hinge means; and

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the invention and showing the parts of the contour support in full lines as folded together, and further showing in dotted lines the relative positions of such parts when ready for use.

Referring to the drawings in further detail and particularly Figs. 1-3, the construction there shown preferably comprises a contour type support 10 which includes 2,704,115 Patented Mar. 15, 1955 a peripheral frame 11 formed for example of aluminum tubing and covered by webbing material 12, which is normally held under considerable tension by the frame, both longitudinally and transversely. That is, the webbing is so applied, and preferably sewn in place on the frame in such manner that it tightly embraces the frame so that the frame retains the webbing under tension transversely while the curvature of the contour support is such that such transverse tension results in considerable longitudinal tension of the webbing as well. The webbing may comprise open-mesh fabric formed of synthetic resin threads, or if preferred, the webbing may take the form of somewhat spaced-apart strips or ribbons of such fabric or of Fiberglas fabric, such ribbons running both transversely and longitudinally on the frame in woven arrangement. In the particular embodiment shown in Figs. 1-6, the webbing is divided into three separate areas 12a (which forms a lower leg rest and part of a knee rest portion), 12b (which forms the seat area and the lower part of the chair back area) and 12c (which forms the upper part of the back area). These three areas of webbing are secured together by lacings as indicated at 13, 14, formed for example of synthetic plastic or rubber cord or the like, which is laced through suitable metallic eyelets positioned along the edges of the webs as indicated.

The two sides of the peripheral frame of the contour support, as shown, are formed with hinge means at 15, the axis of which is horizontal and is located at or adjacent the forward part of the depressed seat portion of the frame. Such hinge means permits the frame portion which carries the webbing area 12a to be swung upwardly, rearwardly and then somewhat downwardly toward the other portions of the frame, as shown in Fig. 5, in order to permit folding of the chair into more com pact condition suitable for packing, shipment, storage or more convenient carrying. The location of the hinge means 15 just forwardly of the depressed sea portion and just rearwardly of the highest point of the knee rest portion 16 (Fig. 1) has a number of advantages. First, as will appear from Fig. 5, this permits the knee rest portion 16 to be folded directly back upon the forward part of the seat portion, yet the remaining portions of the frame 17 which carry the fabric area 12a, will assume a somewhat nested arrangement with respect to the other parts of the frame. That is, the portions 17 will assume a position to extend upwardly and rearwardly so as to largely be received within the space between the ends of the seat portion 18 of the frame. The location of the hinge means 15, as shown, also makes it possible to have the line of lacing 13 run conveniently along the axis of the hinge means so that the webbing areas 12a and 12b respectively may be conveniently placed on the frame port 1ons 17 and 18 before these frame parts are attached by inserting the hinge pintles at 15. Furthermore, the location of the hinge means and lacing just to the rear of the uppermost part 16 of the knee rest, makes it possible to provide such knee rest in the form of smoothly grvedndownwardly bulging areas as indicated at 20 It will be noted that when the frame portion 17 is extended, as in Fig. l, the tensioned webbing will not only bulge smoothly downwardly as at 20 in the uppermost region of the knee rest, but also a somewhat similar upward bulge will occur at 21 at the lowermost part of the seat portion (see Figs. 1 and 4). Such bulges result by reason of the curvatures of the side rails of the frame at these areas and make it possible to secure the webbing in strongly tensioned condition for good support of the feet and knees, but without any abrupt ridges of sagging depressions. However, when the frame portion 17 is rotated about the hinge means 15 to the position shown in Fig. 5, it will be apparent that the webbing will no longer be very substantially tensioned in the region of the seat and knee supporting areas in directions longitudlnally of the frame (transversely of the lacing) and this relieving of the longitudinal tension also permits the transverse tension of the webbing at the seat and knee areas to be relieved substantially. Thus when the chair is folded for storing, there is no tendency for the webbing to become stretched out of proper condition such that it would not have the proper tension when the chair is later put into use. Furthermore the webbing may be readily placed on the frame parts 17 and 18 without initially being under its maximum tension, and then after these frame parts are joined by the hinges the lacing may easily be put into place while the frame part 17 is turned back as in Fig. 5, whereupon, when this frame part is turned over to normal active position, the webbing will thereby become effectively tensioned to the required maximum degree and the above described bulges will occur.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the hinge means 15 is accompanied by stop means comprised of surfaces as at 23 which will come into engagement when the frame portion 17 is swung to active position and thereby retaining the leg rest portions against falling from the positions shown in Fig. 1. The two hinge portions 24, 25 which are connected by the hinge pintle, each comprise pluglike elements fitting into the ends of the frame tubing and there riveted in place as best shown in Fig. 8. The opposite side rails of the frame portion 18 may be interconnected by a tubular member 26, the ends of which are riveted to the side frame tubing as shown.

In the particular embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3, the upper portion 28 of the back of the chair which carries the webbing area 120 is hinged to the chair portion 18 by hinges 29, which may be of the same construction as the hinges 15 above described, and the axis of which is approximately along the line of the lacing 14, above referred to. As indicated in Fig. 5, the portion 28 may be folded forwardly and downwardly toward the seat portion 18 and into a position where it will be received almost entirely within the region between the front and back upper ends of the portion 18. Thus, as shown in Fig. 5, the whole contour support 10 may be folded into a space approximating one-third of its total length when unfolded. The lacing 14 in conjunction with the hinges 29 cooperate in a manner similar to the action of the hinges 15, in permitting the webbing on the back areas of the chair to be tensioned to the maximum desired degree when the upper back portion 28 is turned up in normal position, and yet when such portion is turned down, as for storage, the webbing tension is substantially relieved so that the webbing will not have a tendency to stretch during any time when the chair is not being used.

The upper ends of the side rails of the chair portion 18 may be interconnected by a transverse rod 26' riveted to the rails in the same manner as transverse rod 26 above referred to. Thus the transverse rails 26, 26' and the side rail portions, form a rigid four-sided frame for the webbing area 12b.

A suitable head rest or cushion as at 30 may be conveniently attached to the upper webbing area 120 as shown, and as will be clear from Figs. and 6, this cushion will fit conveniently into the narrow space between the chair portions 18 and 28 when the same are folded together.

The contour support is preferably carried by a foldable leg structure comprising two front legs 31 interconnected or made integral by a transverse portion 32 at the floor level, and two rear leg portions as at 33 similarly interconnected at the floor level. As shown, the front leg portions at each side of the chair extend upwardly and somewhat rearwardly, thence more directly rearwardly and somewhat downwardly to a pivotal connection 34 for the contour support. Thence the front leg portions curve around upwardly as at 35, the upper ends being pivotally attached as at 36 by any suitable means to the upper portions of rear legs 33. The upper ends of the rear legs for example may have small brackets secured thereto for carrying pivot pins at 36 and furthermore these upper portions of the rear legs are integrally extended outwardly as at 37 to form arm rest portions for the chair. These arm rest portions may be covered by handgrips 38 formed of plastic material, suitably secured in place as by screws.

Intermediate their ends, the rear legs 33 are connected at points 40 to chain or cable-like means 41, the other ends of which means are connected to the pivots at 34 at which the contour support is connected. In the particular form shown, the cable means 41 comprises a small chain contained within a length of flexible plastic tubing 41'.

A rod 43 may be mounted to extend between the front leg portions 31 to provide stop means limiting the downward movement of the contour seat portion 18 when the chair is in condition for receiving the user in a sitting posture. To provide stop means for limlting the rearward tilting of the contour support, the cable connect ng elements at 40 may be in the form of pins extending inwardly of the rear legs 33 to engage the side rails and the seat portion 18 when same are tilted back to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1.

In folding the chair, after the contour support parts are folded over as shown in Fig. 5, the leg structure still remains in operative condition as shown in this figure. In order to fold the leg structure, the user may grasp in his two hands the arm rest portions 37, 38 in the manner shown in Fig. 6 and he may use these portions as levers with which he will be able conveniently to tilt the back portions of the chair forwardly and at the same time rotate the rear leg portions 33 back from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6. Then a fabric loop such as indicated at 45 attached to the chair portion 17, may he slipped over the arm rests down to the position shown in dotted lines at 45' (Fig. 6), such loop then serving to retain the whole chair in folded condition and also offering a means by which the chair may be suspended from the hand in a sideways depending position for easy carrying.

With the form of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the contour support 10' is hinged only at one place, viz. by hinges at 15' located preferably somewhat further back than the hinges 15 in the embodiment of Fig. 1. This permits the knee and leg rest portion 17' to be folded over in a more closely nesting relationship to the seat portions 18' on this construction. The leg and arm rest structure of the form shown in Fig. 9 may be the same as that above described in connection with Fig. 1.

With the form shown in Fig. 9, the webbing preferably constitutes ribbons extending longitudinally of the contour frame clear from the lower end of the leg rest to the upper end of the head rest, these ribbons being interwoven with spaced transverse ribbons, some of which are indicated at 50 in Fig. 9. With this construction, the action of the hinge means at 15 is particularly effective in relieving the tension at the seat and knee supporting areas of the webbing when the leg rest portion 17' is turned about the hinges to the full line position shown in Fig. 9, and yet when the leg rest portion is extended, the webbing will be under the maximum desired tension at all areas, the seat areas bulging upwardly and the knee supporting areas bulging downwardly.

It will be noted that the arm rest portions at 37, 38 (both in Fig. 1 and Fig. 9) extend somewhat upwardly and outwardly in quite widely spaced relation to the seat portion when the chair is in condition for receiving the user in a sitting posture. This relationship of the parts, while permitting comfortable arm rests to be provided, still permits the user to sit upon the chair sideways first, before turning to place his legs on the leg rest. For this reason the construction is particularly well adapted for use by ladies who would otherwise have difficulty with their skirts in getting into the chair. The arm rests are 1n such a position that one of them may be securely grasped by the user when sitting down sideways on the seat portion and, after the contour support has been tilted to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, it will be apparent that the arm rests are, in effect, lowered with respect to the position of the body so that they are then in a position for comfortably supporting the arms and hands at a convenient level as compared with the remainder of the body.

As used herein, the expression contour tvpe support has reference to a construction in which an upwardly and rearwardly directed back portion is provided in conjunctron with a depressed curved seat portion and a somewhat elevated curved knee rest portion which merges with a forwardly and somewhat downwardly extending leg rest portion.

The Word or words cable and cable-like means as used herein, are intended to refer to connecting means which may be in the form of either chain, wire or rope formed of any suitable material.

Although certain particular embodiments of the invention are herein disclosed for purposes of explanation, various further modifications thereof, after study of this specification, will be apparentto those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Reference should accordingly be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patentis:

1. A contour type reclining chair construction comprising in combination: a body and leg support having a peripheral frame comprising portions shaped to provide back side rails merging into side rails for a depressed seat portion, thence merging into somewhat elevated side rails for a knee rest, and then continuing somewhat downwardly to provide side rails for a lower leg rest; a supporting leg structure; and means pivotally mount ng said frame on said leg structure about a horizontal axis trans verse to the seat portion, whereby said frame may be tilted to a position for supporting the body either in a sitting posture or a low reclining posture with the users knees somewhat elevated, said side rails being formed with hinged joints located at positions forwardly of said axis, said hinged means permitting the upper knee and lower leg rest portions to be swung upwardly and over toward the seat and back portions in a generally nest ng relationship thereto, but such hinges being accompanied by stop means preventing the lower leg rest portion from swinging downwardly when the frame is in reclining POSI- tion.

2. A contour type reclining chair construction comprising in combination: a body and leg support having a peripheral frame comprising portions shaped to provide back side rails merging into side rails for a depressed seat portion, thence merging into somewhat elevated side rails for a knee rest, and then continuing somewhat downwardly to provide side rails for a lower leg rest; a supporting leg structure connected to the seat portion of said frame; said side rails being formed with hinged joints located adjacent the forward part of the seat portion, said hinged means permitting the lower leg rest portion to be swung upwardly and over toward the seat and back portions, and webbing means carried by, and normally retained under tension over said frame when the leg rest is in extended position, but such tension being at least partially relieved at the knee rest and seat portion when the leg rest portion. is thus swung upwardly and over.

3. A reclining ch'air construction comprising: a contour type support for the user and including aperipheral frame covered with webbing areas normally maintained under tension by the frame, the sides of said frame having hinge means permitting the upper back portion to be swung forwardly and downwardly about a horizontal axis to a position adjacent the lower back portion, the frame having additional hinge means located ad acent the forward part of the seat portion and permitting the leg rest portions to be swung upwardly and over toward the back and seat portions, such web tension being at least partially relieved when the frame parts are folded along said hinge means; a leg structure includ1ng two interconnected front leg portions and two interconnected rear leg portions; and means pivotally connecting said frame to said leg structure at the region of the seat area to permit the contour support to be tilted for either a sitting or low reclining posture of the user.

4. A reclining chair construction comprising: a contour type support for the user; a leg structure including two interconnected front leg portions and two interconnected rear leg portions, said rear leg portions being pivotally connected to said front leg portions at the upper ends of the latter to permit the portions to be folded together; means pivotally connecting the contour support to the leg structure at the seat area of the support to permit the support to be tilted for either a sitting or low reclining posture of the user: and stop rneans on sa d leg portions for limiting the tilting of said support in either direction.

5. A reclining chair construction comprising: a contour type support for the user and including a peripheral, frame covered with webbing areas normally maintained under tension by the frame, the sides of said frame having hinge means permitting the upper back portion to be swung forwardly and downwardly about a horizontal axis to a position adjacent the lower back portion, such web tension being at least partially relieved when the frame parts are folded along said hinge means; a leg structure including two interconnected front leg portions and two interconnected rear leg portions; and means pivotally connecting said frame to said leg structure at the region of the seat area to permit the contour support to be tilted for either a sitting or low reclining posture of the user.

6. A reclining chair construction comprising: a contour type support for the user; a leg structure including two interconnected front leg portions and two interconnected rear leg portions, said rear leg portions being pivotally connected to said front leg portions at the upper ends of the latter to permit the portions to be folded together; means pivotally connecting the contour support to the leg structure at the seat area of the support to permit the support to be tilted for either a sitting or low reclining posture of the user; and arm rests forming forward rigid extensions of the upper ends of the rear leg portions, such extensions also forming lever means by which the rear leg portions may be moved to and from folded position with respect to the front leg portions.

7. A reclining chair construction comprising: a contour-type support for the user; a folding leg structure including two interconnected front leg portions and pivotally connected to two interconnected rear leg portions; hinge means permitting the upper back portion of the contour support to be swung forwardly and downwardly about a horizontal axis to a position adjacent the lower part of the back; hinge means permitting the leg rest portion of the contour support to be swung about a horizontal axis upwardly and rearwardly into generally nesting relation to said upper back portion when the latter is swung down, and means connecting the seat portion of the support to said leg structure.

In a reclining chair construction, a contour-type support for the user comprising: a peripheral frame covered by a webbing material normally held under tension by the frame, the frame being shaped to provide a depressed seat portion and a relatively elevated knee rest portion, the webbing at the seat portion normally bulging upwardly by reason of its tension, and the webbing at the knee rest portion normally bulging downwardly by reason of its tension, said frame being formed with hinge means adjacent the forward portion of the seat portion, whereby the knee and leg rest portions may be swung upwardly and rearwardly toward the seat and back portions, thereby relieving the tension at said bulging areas.

9. A reclining chair construction comprising: a contour type support for the user; a leg structure'including two interconnected front leg portions and two interconnected rear leg portions; means pivotally connecting said support to said structure at the seat area of the support, to permit the support to be tilted for either a sitting or low reclining posture of the user, the front leg' portions extending upwardly from the floor level, thence rearwardly past the seat portion of said contour support and then further upwardly to points of support for the rear ends of arm rests; arm rests pivotally connected to said front leg portions at said points and extending forwardly therefrom, said arm rests being rigidly connected to the rear leg portions which extend downwardly from said points and normally rearwardly to the floor level; and cable-like means connecting the rear leg portions at points intermediate their lengths to the front leg portions, said arm rests constituting levers adapted for moving the rear leg portions to and from collapsed positions with respect to the front leg portions.

10. A reclining chair construction comprising: a contour type support for the user; a leg structure including two interconnected front leg portions and two interconnected rear leg portions; means pivotally connecting said support to said structure at the seat area of the support, to permit the support to be tilted for either a sitting or low reclining posture of the user, the front leg portions extending upwardly from the floor level, thence rearwardly to form a mounting for said pivotal means at the seat portion of said contour support and then further upwardly to points of support for the rear ends of arm rests; arm rests pivotally connected to said front leg portions at said points and extending forwardly therefrom, space being provided beneath and forwardly of said arm rests suflicient when the support is tilted for the sitting posture, to permit the user freely to sit sideways on the support before turning and raising his legs onto the support, said arm rests being rigidly connected to the rear leg portions which extend downwardly from said points and normally rearwardly to the floor level and collapsible 86 means connecting the rear leg portions at points intermediate their lengths to the front leg portions, said am 2,450,783 rests constituting levers adapted for moving the rear leg 2,664,148 portions to and from collapsed positions with respect to 2,681,099

the front leg portions. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent 25,818 156,991

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1). 167,491 Witty Aug. 12, 1952 Collins Oct. 5, 1948 Rechler h Dec. 29, 1953 Vallone June 15, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS France a. May 28, 1923 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1932 

